Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-07-29
PROHIBITION IN IOWA.
Governor Larrabee's Testimony as to the
Enforcement and Effects of the Law

Governor Larrabee's Testimony as to the
Enforcement and Effects of the Law.
Replying to scores of inquiries from
Texas regarding the efficiency of thu
prohibitory law in Iowa, Governor Lar
rabee recently dictated the following
letter:
DEAR SIR: Your letter of a recent date re.
questing certain information relative to the pro-
hlbltory law OF this State, and the manner in
which it is enforced, has been received. In re-
ply have to say that our prohibitory law is
being enforced in eighty-fVe of the ninety-nine
counties of the State Us well as the laws
against other crimes, all malicious reports to
the contrary notwithstanding. In the fourteen
remaining counties, situated principally along
the Mississippi River and containing large
towns abounding in foreign population, the law
is but partially enforced and i'll a few instances
is detinntly violated; These places are. how
ever, nradually yielding to public sentiment
IN f ,,'l.,, OF general enforcement, which
eastern part Of the State. Prohibition
interest, except that of the aloon-keeper nor
has it driven any good citizens from our bor-
ders. 1t is true we have lost since the adoption of
the prohibitory law several thousand incurable
vendors of liquor, and perhaps few bundled
incuraole topers, but we have every reason to
congratulate ourselves upon such loss. The
Hon. G. W. Ruddick. Judge of the Twelfth Judi
cial District, and one OF the ablest and best Of
the State, in all official report dated June IL,
1857, makes the following statement: "Ths
jajls in this district are now idle, and i'll eight
has been but one Indictment presented and
think the grand juries have been reasonably
diligent. Much of the criminal element has
certainly emigrated."
The Hon John w. Harvey, Judge of the
Third judicial District of this State, also
makes an interesting statement concerning
the influence of prohibition on crime. He has
been Judge four years ind q half. In 1888 he
sentenced 81 persons to the penitentiary; in
1854, 49, i'll 1885, %; i'll 1856, Ia and during the
first six months of 1887, 3. These We're divided
gold, g.: Taylor, s.; Page, II; Montgomery. %;
Adams, y Union, 20; Clarke, 8; Wayne,
The latter county has been in the district
only since last January; Judge Harvey says
this decrease in crime during the last four
years. My answer is, the enforcement of the
liquor law. And it seems to me that the above
figures prove this beyond q doubt. The first
year was OH the bench the saloons We're run
ming; the second and third years they were
run in some localities; but the fourth year
trict. I am satisfied that there was not an
open saloon. Red Oak, in Montgomery County,
and Creston, in Union County. We're the last
places in the district to give up the
counties show the result. The result from
these counties is not because they have
larger population than the other counties of the
district Page has much lurger population
than either Of these counties. III the counties
where the law has been enforced there has
been the least crime. During the last year it
has not been all uncommon thing-as in this
county tDecatur) at the last term-for the Grand
jury to djourn without finding an Indictment.
At first under the present pharmacy law, some
of the druggists were disposed to take advan-
tage and abuse the trust imposed in them, but
Il number of convictions and fines and the re-
vocation of number of pharmacy permits by
the Pharmacy Board has had wholesome
effect, and I believe that great majority of
the druggists in this district are now disposed to
obey the law 3"
AS regards the internal revenue of q State, it
is no Indication whatever of the amount of liq-
uors is paid by the manufacturer and not By the
consumer For several years one OF the largest
1istillerieS in the country was in operation here,
for export only. From that in
sttution alone was collected by far the great
part of the internal revenue Of Iowa. IL has
ong been disputed question whether this dis
tillery could be operated under the prohibitory
law, and three months ago on final test in
she District Court it was ordered closed. 1t is
rue that both shooting and murder have
ster at Sioux City and constable at Des
,Ioines were killed in the attempt to enforce
The law but these crimes were in both in
stances committed by those who had always
lehed the law. It would be useless to under
AXE the task of contradicting all the false re-
officers may in few instances have shown q
ack of discretion in the performance of their
'tiicial duties, but this in the minds of candid
nen will not affect the merit Of the law. The
libition is beyond doubt the settled policy Of
owa Could the prohibitory law at present be
to our people for their ratification
IN confident that it would be Endorsed by ma
GRITTY of from sixty to eighty Thousand votes.
Iery respectfully, VIZ. LARRABEA